Antimicrobial resistance summit to shape the international agenda

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has become one of the biggest threats to global health and endangers other major priorities, such as human development. All around the world, many common infections are becoming resistant to the antimicrobial medicines used to treat them, resulting in longer illnesses and more deaths. At the same time, not enough new antimicrobial drugs, especially antibiotics, are being developed to replace older and increasingly ineffective ones.

Global leaders met at the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September 2016 to commit to fighting antimicrobial resistance together. This was only the fourth time in the history of the UN that a health topic is discussed at the General Assembly (HIV, noncommunicable diseases, and Ebola were the others). Heads of State and Heads of Delegations addressed the seriousness and scope of the situation and agreed on sustainable, multisectoral approaches to addressing antimicrobial resistance.